EP 1 792 831 A1 discloses a gripper for use in connection with handling of food articles which gripper has two jaws or blades by which an article is gripped, which article is to be moved from a conveyor to a selected position. The jaws or blades are arranged so as they grip an article, this will be pushed upwards between the jaws or blades. Further, this gripper exhibits a mechanical ejector for ejecting the article, as the jaws or blades are opened, which ejector serves to overcome a possible sticking of the article to the jaws or blades. The ejector thereby also contributes in controlling where the article is placed.
Further, WO 2007/093774 A1 discloses different embodiments of grippers wherein a flexible belt is used together with gripping arms for handling an article that is being gripped from a conveyor belt. For these embodiments, the flexible belt is arranged in such a manner that both ends are fixed on each side of two gripping arms. These two gripping arms are arranged for transversal displacement with respect to each other as they can be displaced on a horizontal rod. Thus the belt is guided below these two gripping arms. In use the total gripping arrangement is lowered over an article so that the ends of the gripping arms are positioned on each side of the article and close to the conveyor, and so that the flexible belt extends over the article in this spacing. Then the two gripping arms are moved towards each other so that the ends of the two gripping arms together with the flexible belt folding around the ends of the two gripping arms, is moved in between the conveyor and the article, whereby the flexible belt enwraps partly around the article. For these embodiments there are more parts involved, which parts are also displaced along the horizontal rod. One particular embodiment exhibits two additional arms included in the gripping arrangement, and another particular embodiment exhibits parts on which the ends of the flexible belt is fixed, and which contribute in controlling the flexible belt, for example the tightening of the belt and the length of the belt extending between the ends of the two gripping arms.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved gripping device.
Further, it is an object of the invention to provide a gripping device having an improved efficiency, precision and processing speed.
Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide a gripping device which is flexible in use, and which exhibits improved advantages as regards hygienic conditions.
Moreover, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved method, whereby a selected article is gripped and moved to a selected location.
These and other advantages of the invention will be further explained in the following.